Northern Lights to be visible from Britain

Spectacular Northern Lights displays wil be visible from northern Britain from
tonight as a result of a large solar storm, the British Geological Society
(BGS) said.

3:47AM GMT 17 Feb 2011

Scientists are warning that the eruption of the largest solar flare in four years will also disrup communications.

"Since February 13 three energetic solar flares have erupted on the sun and spewed clouds of charged plasma called coronal mass ejections (CMEs) out towards the earth," a BGS geomagnetic storm warning said.

"Already one CME arrived on the 14th sparking Valentine's Day displays of the Northern Lights (aurora borealis) further south than usual.

"Two CMEs are expected to arrive in the next 24-48 hours and further...displays are possible some time over the next two nights if skies are clear."

The strongest solar storm in four years is expected to interfere with satellites and electrical networks, with astronomers in southern China already reporting disturbances to radio communications.